Environmental violations

Five arrested for illegal logging and tree burning in Sulaymaniyah

SULAYMANIYAH — Authorities arrested five individuals accused of illegal logging and burning tree stumps in Sulaymaniyah’s forests, according to police officials.

Hemin Kamarkhan, spokesperson for Sulaymaniyah’s Forestry and Environment Police, told 964media that officers discovered the logging during a routine patrol. “A group of trees was cut down, and their stumps were burned to clear the land,” Kamarkhan said.

Following an investigation, authorities detained five suspects, who have been referred to the judiciary, he added.

Unauthorized tree cutting is a major cause of deforestation in the Kurdistan Region, where some traders and individuals flout environmental regulations to produce charcoal or firewood.

According to Sulaymaniyah Forestry and Environment Police data, 23 individuals have been apprehended for illegal tree cutting in the governorate in the first three weeks of the new year.

In December 2024 alone, 37 individuals were arrested for logging trees in protected forest areas.

Offenders face a fine of 500,000 IQD (about $330). Failure to pay can result in up to three months in prison.

Renewable energy sources cannot fully replace fossil fuels

Renewable energy sources cannot fully replace fossil fuels

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